Attachment for inkstands.



Patented Oct. 24, I899.

A. B. FLAGG.

ATTACHMENT FOR INKSTANDS.

(Application filed, July 11, 189B.)

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' I NITED STATES i ALBERT B. FLAGG, OF IIILLSDALE, MICHIGAN.

ATTACHMENT FOR INKSTANDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,309, dated October24, 1899.

Application filed July 11, 1898. Serial No. 685,586. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT B. FLAGG, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hillsdale, in the county of Hillsdale and State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Attachments forInkstands; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of theinvention,1such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an attachment for inkstands and the like of theclass employing an elastic tube or nipple extending down within theinkstand and provided at its lower end with a self-closing valve toprotect the ink from unnecessary exposure to the air.

The invention consists in an attachment comprising a cap and nipple ofnovel construction, as hereinafter fully described, and particularlypointed out in the appended claims, whereby the attachment serves as aperfect closure or stopper for the inkstand or bottle, thus avoiding thenecessity of employing a cork or other supplemental stoppers duringtransportation.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a central vertical section ofthe improved attachment applied to an inkstand. Fig. 2 is a perspectiveView illustrating the cap and nipple separated, and Fig. 3 is anenlarged detail perspective showing the lower slitted end or tip of thenipple provided with a sealing and protecting coating.

The reference-numeral 1 designates a ring constituting the securing-capof the device and having its inner edge deflected to form an annularflange or collar 2. Upon this collar 2 is formed an annular flange 3,the edge 4 of which is inwardly beveled, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The elastic nipple comprises a body portion 4, an upwardly-extending rim5, and a depending tip 6, the latter being formed with a series ofradial slits 7 to divide the tip into a plurality of resilientself-closing flaps 8,which conveniently form a valve which closesautomatically. The upper edge of therim 5 is slightly beveled on itsinner surface to form an inwardly -projecting flange 9, which is adaptedto engage and closely hug the beveled edge 4 of the flange 3. Thisconnection of the nipple and ring leaves an annular airspace 10 betweenthe rim and the collar 2 of the 'cap.

The rim 5 is formed with one or more openings 11, through which airescapes from within the inkstand. This provision for the escape of airconstitutes an important feature of the invention, as will be nowexplained.

When the nipple and cap are connected in the manner shown in Fig. 2, thedevice is inserted into the mouth of the inkstand. As it is graduallyforced to position the air contained in the inkstand enters the openingor openings 11 and passes to the air-space 10, from whence it escapesbelow the collar 2 to the outer air through the central opening in thering 1. This escape of the air within the inkstand greatly facilitiesthe insertion of the attachment, preventing or overcoming as it does thetendency of the ink to splash or be suddenly forced upwardly by thedownward pressure of air.

It will be readily perceived that the act of inserting the nipple andcap into the mouth of the inkstand will cause a compression of the airwithin the inkstand, which compression serves to compress the nipple ortube, thereby opening the lower portion of the airopenings andpermitting the escape of the air. As soon as the compressed air has beenrelieved that portion of the nipple or tube where the air-openings arelocated to a point below said openings falls back automatically againstthe interior walls of the inkstand, closing the receptacle air-tight.

Referring now to Fig. 3, 12 denotes a coating or covering of paraffin,which is applied to the tip or slitted lower end of the nipple. Thiscoating serves two distinct purposes, viz: It forms an effective sealfor the flaps 8, thus hermetically closing the lower end of the nipple,and, secondly, it serves to protect said flaps after they are separatedby the insertion of a pen or other article to break the seal and causesthem to retain their resiliency. By thus sealing the lower end of thenipple the attachment serves the purpose of the ordinary cork or otherstopper, and it not only protects the ink from the air, but provides anefiective sealed stopper during transportation. By the insertion of apen, pencil, or the like the paraffin seal is broken, but thecoatingflaps 8 are still protected by the paraflin, which I have foundby practical tests greatly adds to the effective operation of the valveby protecting the flaps from direct contact with the ink and whichsooner or later tends to harden the unprotected surfaces of the rubber,preventing their retracting properly.

It will be apparent that the attachment as a whole may be readilyapplied to or removed from the inkstand, and hence that the latter maybe refilled whenever necessary.

I claim- 1. Aremovable stopper attachment for inkstands,comprising aring orcap, and an elastic tube or nipple provided with one or moreairopenings near its upper end and slitted at its lower end to form anautomatic valve.

2. Aremovable stopper attachment for inkstands, comprising a ring or capprovided with a dependent annular flange beveled on its outer surface,and having an annular collar extending below said flange, in combinationwith an elastic tube engaging said flange,

and provided with one or more air-openings, said tube and collarconstituting an annular air-space with which the air-openings in thetube communicate, and from which air escapes below the beveled flange.

3. Aremovable stopperattachment for inkstands, comprising a ring or caphaving a depending inner edge or flange beveled on its outer surface forthe attachment of an elastic tube or nipple, and provided with a collardepending below the beveled flange, in combination with an elastic tubeslitted at its lower end to form an automatic valve, and having anairopening or openings near its upper edge communicating with theannular space formed by the collar and elastic tube, and serving topermit the escape of air from the inkstand below the beveled flange ofthe ring or cap.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT B. FLAGG.

Witnesses i HENRY J. MELosH, LoUIs A. 1\[0RTEN.

